Ferry-gate.



No. 859,489. PATENTED JULY 9, 1907. w. J. DONOVAN.

PERRY GATE.

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PATENTED JULY 9, 1907. w. J. DONOVAN.

FERRY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. so. 1907.

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FERRY-GATE Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January30,1907.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Serial No. 354,891. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J DONOVAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Boston, county Improvement in Ferry-Gates, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing,is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to gates and especially to gates adapted for useon ferries. Gates for this purpose are commonly mounted so as to swingvertically in opening or closing, and when they are in their openposition they are apt to project slightly into the roadway so that thereis danger that loaded vehicles will strike against the gate in passingin and off the ferry.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel manner-ofmounting the gate so that when it is open the gate-post with the gateattached thereto may to carry the gate entirely out of the way of loadedvehicles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel counter-poise forthe gate which has greatest counterpoising action when the gate ishorizontal, and least countcrpoising action when the gate is vertical,whereby the gate is evenly balanced in all positions.

I will first describe one embodiment of the invention and then point outthe novel features thereof in the append ed claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of onehalf of agateembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line x-x, Fig. 1',Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the gate-post; Fig. 4 is a sectionon the line y y Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a section on the line aa, Fig.3.

The gate-arm herein shown comprises two bars 3 and 4 each of which arepivoted to the gate-post 5 at 6 and 7, respectively, said bars 3 and 4being pivotally connected together by slats 8 as usual. The bar 3 has atits inner end a segmental gear 9 which meshes with a rack 10 mounted forvertical movement in the gatepost and which is acted on by acounterbalancing spring 11 that tends to counterbalance the weight ofthe gate-arm. This counterbalancing spring 11 surrounds the stem 12 ofthe rack and bears at one end against the shoulder 13 on said stem, andat the other end against a fixed abutment herein shown as a crosshead 14through which the upper end of the stem 12 extends, and which is held inplace by tie-rods 15.

The counterbalancing spring 11 tends to move the rack 10 downwardly andthus to elevate the gate-arm. In these ferry gates it is customary tohave two gatearms extending from each gate-post, one gate-arm to extendacross and close the roadway for vehicles, and the other gate-arm toextend across and close the passage for foot passengers. Y

The gate-post 5 herein shown has pivoted to its opposite side a gate-armcomprising two bars 3 and 4. simiof Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented an 1 lar to the bars 3 and f1, and pivotally connected byslats 8. These bars 3 and 4 are pivoted to the gateposts at 6 and 7,respectively, and one of the bars has a segmental gear 9 which mesheswith the rack 10, said rack being a double rack for this purpose. Thespring 11 is of such a tension as to counterbalance both of thegate-arms. When the gate-arms are down, as shown in Fig. 3, the springis under greatest tension and has, therefore, the greatestcounterbalancing effect. As the gate-arms are swung into their verticalor open position the tension of the spring decreases and will,therefore, have a constantily decreasing counterbalanc ing effect. Itwill be readily seen that without any counterbalancing a greater forcewould be necessary to lift the gates when they are in their horizontalposition than would be necessary when they are nearly in their verticalposition, and by using a spring for the counterbalance, as abovedescribed, the effective counterbalancing action thereof variesaccording to the demands therefor.

The gate-post 5 is shown as mounted to turn so as to permit the gates tobe swung around into line with the roadway or at right angles to theposition shown in the drawings. For this purpose the gate-post isrotatably mounted on the stationary base 20, said gate-post beingsupported by two bearings 21 and 22, preferably of the anti-frictiontype. The bearing 21 is shown as formed at the upper end of a spindle orsupport 23 extending from the base, although these bearings might bemade in any way so long as they would properly support the gate-post forrotative movement. The gate-post is herein shown as provided with aflange 24 which overlies the upper edge of the wall of the base 20 andprevents foreign matter from entering said base and clogging'thebearing.

1 preferably provide suitable means for locking the gate-post in eitherof its two adjusted positions, and for this purpose have herein shownthe gate-post as carryinga spring-pressed locking member 25 adapted toengage notches or co-operating projections sustained by the base 20.This locking member 25 is in the nature of a pin which projects througha flange 26 on the gatepost and is acted on by a spring 27, the lowerend of said pin being adapted to engage recesses formed in the top oftwo separated pins or members 28 carried by the base 20. These pins 28are properly positioned so that when the locking pin 25 engages one orthe other the gate-post will be held either in the position shown inFigs. 1 and 3, in which position the gates when down will close thepassageways, or at right angles thereto, thus carrying the gates whenopen entirely out of the line or path of any loaded vehicles passing offthe ferry. I have also provided suitable locking means for holding thegates locked in their open or closed position, and

for this purpose have provided one or both of the segmental gears 9, 9with recesses 30 which co-operate with a spring-pressed locking pin 31carried by the gate-post to hold the gate either in opened or closedposition. One of the gate-arms'is herein shown as provided with hooks 32adapted to engage eyes 33 on the corresponding arm, thereby connectingthe two opposing gate-arms. I have not attempted herein to describe allembodiments of my invention which may be covered by the appended claims,but for the purpose of illustrating the invention have selected thepreferred embodiment thereof.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a gate, the combination with a gatepost of a vertically-swinging arm pivoted thereto "to turn about a fixedaxis, a spring for counter-balancing said arm, and connections betweenthe spring and arm whereby the spring is under greatest tension when thearm is 11orizontal.

2. In a gate, the combination with a gate post of a vertically-swinginggate arm pivoted thereto, a spring counterbalance for said arm locatedwithin the gate post, and connections between said spring and gate armwhereby the spring is under greater tension when the gate arm ishorizontal than when it is vertical.

3. In a gate, the combination with swinging gate arm pivoted thereto anda spring within the gate post for counterbalancing the arm, said springbeing under greatest tension when the gate is horizontal.

4. In a gate, the combination with a vertically-swinging gate-arm of asegmental gear connected thereto, a rack meshing with the gear, and acounterbalancing spring acting on the rack to thereby counterbalance thegate arm.

a gate post of a a gate, the combination with a vertically-swinging l ll l l l l and tending gatearm of a segmental meshing with the gear,

gear connected thereto, a rack and a spring acting on said rack to raisethe gate-arm.

6. In a gate, the combination with a gate-post rotatable about avertical axis, a vertically-swinging gate-arm pivoted thereto and acounterbalance for the gate arm situated within the gate post.

7. In a gate, the combination with a gate-post rotatable about avertical axis of a vertically-swinging gate-arm piv oted thereto, and alocking device to hold the gate-post in adjusted position.

8. In a gate, the combination with a gate-post rotatable about avertical axis of a verticallyswinging gate-arm pivoted thereto, and aspring counterbalance for said gatearm located within the gate-post.

9. 111 a gate, the combination with a gatepost of a vertically-swinginggate-arm, a spring counterbalance therefor located within the gate post,and a spring-pressed locking device to hold the gate-arm in its loweredor raised position.

10. In a gate, the combination with a spindle or support having abearing at each end of a gate post rotatably mounted on said spindle orsupport, and a vertically swinging gate arm pivoted to the gate post.

11. The combination with a spindle or support 23 having a bearing ateach end of a gate post pivoted on said spindle, a vertically-swinginggate arm pivoted to the gate post, and a spring counterbalance for thegate arm located within the gate post. 1 v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. DONOVAN.

